List of the most famous (American) football nose tackles in the history of the sport, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. There have been many legendary nose tackles in the NFL and NCAA, and you'll find all of them on this list below. Some of these men are considered to be the best nose tackles to ever play the game, and if you're looking for a specific football player you can look for them by using the "search" function on this list. These amazing nose tackles may currently be active while others have been retired for quite sometime. This list of the top nose tackles in American football includes all the greats from both the NFL and college football.
This list below has a variety of items in it, from Casey Hampton to Jim Burt.
This list answers the questions, "Who is the greatest nose tackle of all time?" and "Who are the best nose tackles of all time?"...more
1
Vince Wilfork
Defensive linemanVincent Lamar Wilfork (born November 4, 1981) is a former American football nose tackle who... more2
Jim Burt
Defensive tackle, TackleJames P. Burt (born June 7, 1959 in Orchard Park, New York) is a former American football... more- 3
Casey Hampton
Nose tackleCasey Hampton Jr. (born September 3, 1977), nicknamed "Big Snack," is a former American... more - 4
Joe Klecko
Defensive tackle, LinemanJoe Klecko (born October 15, 1953 in Chester, Pennsylvania) is a former American football... more - 5
Fred Smerlas
Tackle, Nose tackleFrederic Charles Smerlas (born April 8, 1957) is a former American football defensive lineman... more - 6
Alameda Ta'amu
Nose tackleAlameda Ta'amu is an American football nose tackle for the Arizona Cardinals of the National... more - 7
Ted Washington
Defensive tackle, TackleTheodore Washington Jr. (born April 13, 1968) is a former American football nose tackle. He... more - 8
Jeremiah Ratliff
Defensive tackle, Defensive endJeremiah Jerome Ratliff (born August 29, 1981), is a former American football defensive... more 
9Ahtyba Rubin
Defensive linemanAhtyba Rubin ( ah-TAH-bə; born July 25, 1986) is an American football defensive tackle who is... more- 10
B. J. Raji
Defensive tackle, Defensive endBusari Alamu Raji Jr. (born July 11, 1986) is a former American football defensive tackle. He... more - 11
Tim Krumrie
Defensive tackle, TackleTimothy Alan Krumrie (born May 20, 1960) is a former American football nose tackle who played... more - 12
Antonio Johnson
Nose tackleAntonio Rico Johnson (born December 8, 1984) is an American football nose tackle who is... more - 13
Terrence Cody
Nose tackleTerrence Bernard Cody, Jr. (born June 28, 1988) is a former American football defensive... more - 14
Barry Cofield
Nose tackleBarry Joseph Cofield, Jr. (born March 19, 1984) is a former American football defensive tackle... more - 15
Rick Bryan
Defensive tackle, Defensive endRick Don Bryan (March 20, 1962 – July 25, 2009) was an American college and professional... more - 16
Gilbert Brown
Defensive tackle, Nose tackleGilbert Jesse Brown (born February 22, 1971) is a former American football player. A nose... more - 17
Michael Carter
Tackle, Nose tackleMichael D'Andrea "Mike" Carter (born October 29, 1960 in Dallas, Texas), is a former American... more - 18
Ron Brace
Defensive tackle, Nose tackleRonald Jeffery "Ron" Brace III (December 18, 1986 – April 23, 2016) was an American football... more - 19
Ma'ake Kemoeatu
Defensive tackle, Nose tackleMa'ake Tu'amelie Kemoeatu (pronounced [maˈʔake kemoeˈatu]; born January 10, 1979) is a former... more - 20
Phil Taylor
Defensive linemanPhillip Eugene Taylor Sr. (born April 7, 1988) is a former American football nose tackle. He... more - 21
Russell Maryland
Defensive tackle, Nose tackleRussell James Maryland (born March 22, 1969) is a former professional American football... more - 22
Antonio Dixon
Defensive tackle, Nose tackleAntonio Dixon (born July 17, 1985) is an American football nose tackle who is currently a free... more - 23
Brandon McKinney
Defensive tackle, Nose tackleBrandon McKinney (born August 24, 1983) is an American football nose tackle who is currently a... more - 24
Steve McLendon
Defensive end, Nose tackleStephen Craine McLendon (born January 3, 1986) is an American football nose tackle for the New... more - 25
Dontari Poe
Nose tackleDontari D. Poe is an American football nose tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National... more
